Reverse Hipster's Highlights
5. John Cena Cooks Solo
Solo spoke for the first time in a long time and cut a short promo about John needing to say goodbye to the fans because, after Crown Jewel, he won't be able to. John Cena told Solo he would cook him in 90 seconds, and boy, did he ever. He called him a bargain bin Taz and said he was only employed in WWE because of Roman, then finished by saying he be sticking Solo's finger up his ass. Cooked. John Cena has still got it. He is a dangerous man on that mic. You better be secure if you are battling Cena cause he will hurt your feelings.
4. Chelsea Green & Piper Vs. Jacy & Thea Women's Tag Team Titles
This match was a lot of fun. Piper and Chelsea are having an excellent title reign. Jacy and Thea, but mostly Jacy, were all over the champs. She beat up Chelsea, she beat up Piper, and she beat them both up at the same time. However, when the big moments came, the champs were ready. Piper planted Thea in an inverted powerbomb. Chelsea won the match with a jumping Unpretyther.
The best part about the ending is that it furthers the Chase U story. Andre Chase wouldn't let Jacy cheat, and that cost her and Thea the titles after Jacy cheated to help Andre Chase win the tag titles. Everyone in this story is doing great. It's honestly so refreshing to see Jacy get cheered after her career took a hit in the GiGi feud. She is back on track and being appreciated for the star that she is. This story also shows how valuable Chase U is. Jacy and Duke were struggling, and then they got over by coming to Chase U. Jacy also helped make Chase U. more interesting. Jacy is Thea's bad girl influence, and she has completely turned Chase U upside down to the point where Andre Chase looks like the bad guy for sticking to his principles. How will Thea react to Andre technically costing her a second title?
3. Carmelo Hayes Vs. Ilja Dragonuv NXT World Title
These two went all out for the title. Carmelo Hayes was throwing out some big shots. He hit one of the craziest DDTs I've ever seen and did it on the apron, and Dragonuv got his head corkscrewed into the ring apron before he fell to the floor. Dragonuv had a hell of a counterpunch. He hit the H Bomb on Carmelo through the announce table. Hayes was still able to counter Dragonuv's second H Bomb attack with a code breaker. It was incredible. It looked like Carmelo had the match won, and then Trick returned. Carmelo looked like he had just been caught cheating by his girl. Dragonuv took advantage of the confusion and retained the title. But it looks like we are in for a Trick and Carmelo feud, and I'm here for it.
2. The Creed Brothers Vs. Alpha Academy For All The Wrestlers
This match was simply incredible. These guys set the tone For All The Wrestlers on the rest of the show. It was perfect, as Chad and Otis are like The Creeds. They even both have female managers. Maxine and Ivy duked it out as well. But there are two spots in the match that went above and beyond. After catching him off the top rope, Otis hit the world's strongest slam on Brutus. Pretty Cool, right? Well, they weren't done because then, as Otis was pinning Brutus, Julius hit a 450 splash onto Otis, and then Gable hit a moonsault onto Julius. It was bananas, but the end of the match was even crazier when Julius stood up with Otis on his shoulders, and Brutus delivered the cannonball to Otis in a doomsday device-like move. The Creeds are two of the Best in WWE, and it's not just the NXT fans who know; now everyone knows. Also, Chad & Otis and Maxine continue to deliver every time they are so damn good. I'd much rather they be the tag champs right now.
1. The Creeds vs. Humberto and Angel TLC
This match was one of the best true highlights of the last few weeks—jaw-dropping action. If you missed this match, definitely go back and watch. There were so many high-risk table spots. I don't even know what to call what Humberto and Angel did to Brutus. It was a gory bomb cutter combination off the apron into a table on the outside. Angel was also thrown off the top rope into a table and so much more, but the final moment was so beautiful. The Creeds were doing their signature electric chair Brutus bomb combo to Humberto. He went through the table, and it was picture-perfect. Creeds win!
Rob’s Highlights (AEW/Impact)
5. Lance Archer Joins Forces with the Righteous, AEW Collision
I think Lance Archer is one of the most underrated wrestlers in AEW. After losing to Darby Allin, Jake Roberts brought out the Righteous and aligned Archer with them. Hopefully, this will help build momentum for Archer in AEW so we can see him in more big matches.
4. Nightingale vs. Emi Sakura, AEW Collision
Occasionally, AEW gives women time to have a competitive match that reminds you how good their talent is. Willow Nightingale and Emi Sakura are two of those talents typically lost in the shuffle of the women’s division who got to show what they can do here. While I think Sakura is more talented in-ring, Nightingale got the win and is just waiting for her big moment in AEW.
3. The Elite Storytelling, AEW Dynamite
The Young Bucks teamed with Adam Page earlier in the night, while later in the night, Kenny Omega continued his alliance with Chris Jericho in their continued effort to fight off the Don Callis Family. Backstage, Matt Jackson lashed out at Omega for this partnership. It was a great callback to the history of internal feuds in the Elite and a sign there could be more storytelling to come.
2. Swerve Strickland vs. AR Fox, AEW Collision
Swerve Strickland, and AR Fox built off of great chemistry to have this match to open Collision. They interrupted the opening pyro with their brawl, and it gave a different feel to the whole fight. Strickland got the win, and he is continuing to build momentum on AEW. I would love to see him be the next challenger to MJF.
1. Orange Cassidy vs. Claudio Castagnoli, AEW Dynamite
When Orange Cassidy is opening Dynamite against another elite wrestler for the International Championship, it just feels like all is right with the world. Cassidy got a huge win over Claudio Castagnoli as he continues to build momentum in his second reign and marches toward a rematch with Jon Moxley, the first of which is on my shortlist for match of the year.
Rob's Lowlights
2. MJF’s Mystery Partners, AEW Dynamite
Like most everything, MJF made the most of this storyline as he tried to find three partners throughout the night to go up against Bullet Club Gold. In the end, the only people MJF could persuade were the Acclaimed led by new “friend of MJF,” Max Caster. The story was choreographed weeks ago, and it made the big payoff of MJF’s mystery partners disappointing. They made the most of the match as Bullet Club Gold got a pinfall victory, but I couldn’t help but feel like this was a traditional boring booking.
1. The Sex Stallions vs. Mark Briscoe, Dustin Rhodes, and Keith Lee, AEW Collision
Kip Sabian teamed with JD Drake and Anthony Henry and named themselves the Sex Stallions. Clearly, AEW doesn’t even believe in them, as they were promptly beaten by the thrown-together team of Mark Briscoe, Dustin Rhodes, and Keith Lee on a card that already featured a squash match. This was one of those particularly egregious examples of bad booking all around. Sabian won the first-ever singles match in AEW history against Sammy Guevara, and now he can’t even buy a win by forming a new faction. Briscoe has hardly been used on TV since his feud with Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett. Lee was believed to be one of the biggest acquisitions for AEW, who has done nothing besides teaming with Swerve Strickland in a great tag team run. All of these guys are underutilized, and still, this segment was thrown together and didn’t help anyone.
Reverse Hipster's Lowlights
1. Shotzi and Charlotte Beat Piper and Chelsea
I dislike this moment for four reasons. Firstly, Chelsea and Piper were on a great run. They successfully defended the titles against Chase U on Tuesday and beat Natalya on Monday. They could have gone 3-0 in one week. Secondly, Charlotte and Shotzi are so random as a tag team. The idea that they can show up and beat the tag champs is ridiculous. Thirdly, Charlotte basically did it by herself, and she did it with the LAMEST MOVE in her arsenal, the big boot. It bugs the shit out of me that we are supposed to believe people can take spears and chairs and crazy slams, but they can't get up from one boot by Charlotte. It is Charlotte's most disrespectful and annoying finisher. Lastly, I'm not a fan of challengers beating champions for the right to win the title. Why give away the match before it happens? It is more exciting to see if the champ can be beaten at all rather than beaten again.
Reverse Hipster's Winner of the Week
NXT, of course, is NXT. NXT did their Halloween Havoc show, and it's always so good. If I could go to any show, Halloween Havoc would be right there after Wrestlemania because the atmosphere is so cool, you get to dress up, and it just has a great vibe. Also, Halloween Havoc had the most interesting shows and matches. TLC Title matches and Personal Feuds about betrayal. The Creeds even went to Raw and got them a highlight.
Rob’s Winner of the Week (AEW/Impact)
While it had the biggest missed booking of the week, AEW Collision is still my show of the week for its many other highlights. Collision is always a favorite to steal the week with longer matches and featuring some of AEW’s best wrestlers.